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How can you treat our people like dogs? - Dr. Shaheed meets Maldives students in UK

DO report - London 28 November 2004

Gayyoom's spokesman Dr. Shaheed held a three hour discussion meeting with the Maldivian Student Association (UK) today in an attempt to explain to them the political unrest in the country. Attended by several key members of the current and previous central committees of the association, it was a well-orchestrated attempt to win the hearts of these students and professionals.

One of the most interesting questions from a student, with regard to the Black Friday crackdown, was 'How could you treat our people like dogs?'

Shaheed quickly brushed aside the question, and went on to say that it was 'terrorist activity', then he changed his mind and said that it was a religious war staged by fundamentalists.

Several students raised the question of Qasim Ibrahim, and how he was mistreated, for example by not allowing him access to his medical doctor who had flown from Germany.

Shaheed denied this and said that he had no information that a doctor had flown to Maldives while Qasim was in jail. When Shaheed was asked whether Qasim would be allowed to go abroad for medication, Shaheed replied it was out of question.
'He will not be allowed to leave the country,' said Shaheed, who then claimed that Qasim had connections in importing weapons into Maldives in association with a foreign government to oust the Maldives government.

Dr. Shaheed appeared to be making things up as he went along.

When asked whether Gayyoom wwas thinking of negotiating with the Maldivian Democratic Pary (MDP), Shaheed at first pretended that he did not know about MDP.

'What is the MDP?' he replied. However, later on he talked about MDP members being in the Maldives Human Rights Commission when referring to Mujuthaba (the MHRC chairman), and also talked about Fathin Hameed (Gayyoom's niece and Abdullah Hameed's daughter) being one of the signatories to the formation of MDP.

Shaheed also said that even if the Maldives government wanted to speak to MDP, 'we don't know anyone at MDP to whom we can speak to'.

The student association members were also concerned about Shaheed's earlier statement with regard to Friends of Maldives demonstration in London earlier this month, when he said that the student's asscoiation had a hand in organising it.

Shaheed denied saying this, but the students had printouts of the report of his statement. He then admitted that it was a mistake, and that he would rectify the matter as soon as he returned to Male'.

Dr. Shaheed is in UK to meet with Amnesty International and other government officials to explain to them the situation in the Maldives. He said that he has faced tough questions like, 'Is it true that we the tourists consume all the fruit that is imported to Maldives and the local don't get the benefit of tourism?'

According to Dr. Shaheed, people have been told lies by the MDP, FoM and DO, and he will not be able to rectify the situation across the board.

In answering the question about why DO is banned in the Maldives, Shaheed said that it is because of filth and threats of violence.

Shaheed claimed that in one of the very first articles after DO began publication, the chief editor Ahmed Moosa (Sappe') stated that he wanted to cut Gayyoom into pieces ('kudhikudhi kohlaa namey').

In answer to this accusation, Ahmed Moosa says the statement was more to do with bringing an end to the tyranny of Gayyoom, which is seen as filth and violence by liars like Shaheed and the others who worship Gayyoom.

In the meetings, most of the people attending were quiet because of the consequences if they speak out against Gayyoom. After the meeting, all the students went to a restaurant and held discussions that were very critical of Gayyoom.

Their opinion of Shaheed's performance was damning, and they said that if he wants to speak to them again, he should learn to 'talk sense'.